wfn.org | TCN: Taiwanese Christians speak out against “risky” US beef

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3011 Edition

>November 9~15, 2009

Taiwanese Christians speak out against “risky” US beef

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

“The way the Ma administration negotiated import of US beef  was downright humiliating for

Taiwan and completely forfeited Taiwan’s sovereignty!”  exclaimed Taipei City Councilor and

Wen-shan Presbyterian Church member Hsu Chia-ching indignantly.

“This is the worst example of how treaties should be  conducted between two countries. I will

definitely use it as a textbook example in future curricula!”  added Gikong Presbyterian Church

member and former minister of Environmental Protection  Administration (EPA) Chen Chung-

>Shin.

Hsu and Chen were referring to the way the Ma administration had  handled the recently

signed protocol with the US to expand market access from boneless  beef of cattle younger

than 30 months to include bone-in beef and other beef products.  Not only did the

administration fail to consult the public by at least seeking the  approval of the Legislative

Yuan, the actual treaty didn’t even contain a clause limiting  imports to cattle younger than 30

>months.

According to reports, such a treaty will pose a huge health risk  to Taiwanese citizens and

leave them vulnerable to contracting mad cow disease. For this  reason, citizens across

Taiwan are very anxious and lashing back at the government. To  make matters worse,

government officials’ response lately has been to brush off  the severity of this issue by

churning out lies. This faux-pas, merely three months after the Ma  administration bungled

rescue efforts during Typhoon Morakot, has reminded Taiwanese  citizens once again of the

government’s ineptitude and many are seething with anger.

According to PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang, President  Ma’s disregard for

Taiwanese citizens’ health and safety and his arrogance can  be sensed from the way he

unilaterally signed this agreement. Chang emphasized that this  latest incident wasn’t the first

time the Ma administration had failed and disregarded the nation.  The manner in which the Ma

administration handled a string of prior incidents, including the  tainted-milk scandal, Taipei

Maokong Gondola scandal, ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin’s visit,  ECFA, and the breakdown

of Taipei MRT Wenshan- Neihu line among others, has prompted  Taiwanese people to

completely lose confidence in this administration. Chang urged  Taiwanese people to use their

>ballots to voice their opinions.

Hsu said failure to state in the treaty that only cattle younger  than 30 months would be allowed

into Taiwan, in addition to requiring a verification program such  as Quality System

Assessment (QSA), are serious mistakes and the Ma  administration’s unrepentant attitude so

>far is downright outrageous.

Furthermore, like any other contract, the buyer has the right to  negotiate a fair, profitable, and

reasonable agreement with the seller, and the seller must comply  in order to win the contract.

However, the way in which the Ma administration compromised public  health and hastily

signed this agreement is beyond comprehension and controversial  because the President

literally put his people’s health on the line.

Hsu urged Taiwanese churches to protest against President  Ma’s actions, the same way

South Koreans protested against their own government, which  eventually forced Seoul to

renegotiate with the US. Hsu is convinced that if enough public  pressure is applied, the US will

>have to renegotiate.

To convey Taiwanese people’s sentiments and displeasure,  Taiwan’s Consumers’

Foundation (TCF) launched a petition calling for a national  referendum on US beef imports. It

hopes to use this to pressure the Ma administration to reopen  negotiations. Many leaders

from Christian organizations such as Taiwan Theological College  and Seminary and Taichung

Presbytery are leading their organizations in signing petitions.  The goal of TCF is to amass

petitions through several rounds of campaigning and eventually  gather enough signatures for

>this issue to become a referendum question.

Ng Kaibin, Pastoral Care Dean at Taiwan Theological College and  Seminary, said that

importing US beef is an unjustified policy with serious  repercussions that includes killing

innocent people. Therefore, in obedience to the 6th Commandment  (“Thou shall not kill”) and

in spirit with PCT’s confession of faith, the seminary  decided early on to actively participate in

>this petition.

Taichung Presbytery’s Assembly Moderator Rev. Chen Ping-hsun  commented that PCT

participation in this initiative is fueled by a call to be  concerned about social issues and

demonstrate it through deeds. Since this is a serious and  meaningful issue, churches ought to

>participate.

“I don’t want to gamble away the health of future  generations,” said Christian reporter Uidy

Kao, adding that he would definitely participate in signing a  petition. Kao hopes the Ma

administration will use people’s discontent as a bargaining  chip to reopen negotiations.

However, judging from the outcome of recent negotiations with the  US, he has doubts about

whether it has enough wisdom and foresight to do so.

Kao added that the whole negotiation process on US beef imports  has prompted many to

become suspicious as to whether there were any shady,  under-the-table deals between

officials which might have led to the words “only imports of  cattle younger than 30 months”

>being completely left out from the agreement.

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